VIRTUAL reality therapy for people suffering from mental health disorders, using AI to manage demand on NHS services, and technology that listens to a child’s cough to assist early diagnoses are among the Essex innovations that have received thousands of pounds of funding from Arise Innovation Hubs – part of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU).

The ABOVE (Arise Beyond Open Innovation for Value and Entrepreneurship) innovation support grants are aimed at assisting small and medium-sized enterprises in Essex working on healthcare solutions through medical technology. Not-for-profit, charitable organisations, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and start-ups are all eligible for support.

The following eight businesses have been awarded grants of up to £5,000:

• Aerial Icon Limited, which is pioneering the production of ultra-high-quality aerial 360 videos to deliver innovative virtual reality (VR) therapeutic health interventions for mental health disorders such as anxiety, fear of heights, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The initiative has also received funding from Innovate UK.

• Elixir AI is working on a project to determine if listening to a child’s cough at the time of GP referral can lead to early diagnosis, and received funding to enhance their software for a larger study with Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals.
• Japeto, a software agency in Harlow, used their grant to build a dedicated computer rig capable of running Large Language Models (LLMs) at sufficient speed. This project, named ‘The Blue Fairy,’ aims to establish the viability of different LLMs in healthcare chatbot applications.
• C-Prio Ltd, focusing on automation and AI to meet the growing demand on NHS histopathology services, used its ABOVE grant in the clinical validation phase of their AI models, specifically for acquiring real digital images of colorectal biopsies, enabling rigorous testing and refinement.
• Tech Balance Limited received grant funding to support the development of a wellbeing app using behavioural science to guide UK university students towards better wellbeing.
• Guardpack Ltd, a manufacturer of sachets and wipes, used its funding to help develop more environmentally friendly options for its customers.
• eScent is developing a wearable, context-driven scent intervention to address increasing levels of anxiety and stress. The funding will be used to secure the company’s intellectual property in the USA and commission a design.
• Southend-based Surgical Holdings will use its grant to complete ecodesign work, leading to patent protection of new products which are sold worldwide.

The funding for the ABOVE programme has been provided by Essex County Council as part of its 10-year sector strategy to grow life science, digitech, advanced manufacturing and engineering sectors, leading to more opportunities, jobs and growth across Essex.

Arise Innovation Hubs are also working closely with partners Medilink Midlands, a specialist provider of support to the life science sector, to help SMEs overcome barriers to growth.

Dr Beverley Vaughan, Director of Arise Innovation Hubs, said: “We were delighted to receive so many applications for the first round of ABOVE funding from healthcare innovators across the county.

“The enterprises that have been supported by these grants are working on projects that have potential to make a real difference to people’s lives.

“The ABOVE funding has been a vital cog in the development of some of these projects, assisting these small firms with job creation, testing and product design.”

Melanie Davidson, CEO at Medilink Midlands added “Developing the partnership with Arise Innovation Hubs, our innovation focused business support programmes have gone from strength to strength, and the ABOVE funding grants allow the eight awarded innovators to further develop and grow their health care solutions within the medtech sector. “